Irked Speaker Sumitra Mahajan says she’ll call meet to restore order in Lok Sabha

Amid the din over the Rafale deal and other issues raised by the Opposition, the lower house passed two Bills following brief discussion in the latter half of Thursday.
Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan. | PTI
Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan. | PTI

NEW DELHI: With Lok Sabha proceedings disrupted for the seventh consecutive day, on Thursday, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has told the leaders of political parties that she would call a meeting of the Rules Committee to look into the unruly behaviours of MPs, who rushed to the Well of the House with placards.

Her tough stand seemingly had a desired impact, as Mallikarjuna Kharge, the leader of Opposition in the House, promised to participate in the discussion on the Bill against the practice of triple talaq on December 27.

Amid the din over the Rafale deal and other issues raised by the Opposition, the lower house passed two Bills following brief discussion in the latter half of Thursday.

The Speaker called a meeting of the leaders of all political parties with an aim to end the deadlock.

While the Congress members disrupted the proceedings of the House with demands for the constitution of joint Parliamentary committee (JPC) on Rafale fighter jet deal, the BJP MPs, too, had come to the House with placards seeking an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi for spearheading a “misinformation” campaign.

“The Speaker told the leaders of the parties that the image of the Lok Sabha is being dented with unabated unruly behaviour of the MPs. She said that she would call the meeting of the Rules Committee to look into the prospects of bringing changes to ensure that the members don’t indulge in unruly behaviour,” a source close to the Speaker said.

Afterwards, Kharge requested the Speaker to defer discussions on the bill against the practice of triple talaq to December 27 to allow the Opposition members to prepare for the debate. RSP MP N K Premchandran and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had listed statutory resolutions for withdrawal of “The Muslim Women (protection of rights on marriage) Bill” from the House.

The Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Singh Tomar agreed to take up discussions on the bill on December 27. 

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha passed the Consumer protection bill, 2018, which seeks to protect rights of consumers and redress their grievances.

Two Bills passed in Lower House amid din

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s tough stand on frequent disruptions seemingly had the desired impact, as Mallikarjuna Kharge, the leader of Opposition in the House, promised to participate in the discussion on the bill against the practice of triple talaq on December 27.

Amid the din over the Rafale deal and other issues raised by the Opposition, the lower house passed two bills following brief discussion in the latter half of Thursday.

Thursday marked the seventh straight day when proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were washed out

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